


Encounter at Erandu V

by Nerdy_Gal



Category: Halo (Video Games) & Related Fandoms
Genre: F/F, Gen, Original Character Death(s), Original Character(s), Other, Violence, flood - Freeform, lots of death, non-canon, romance will happen eventually
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-21
Updated: 2019-11-21
Packaged: 2021-02-26 18:21:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,706
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21512986
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nerdy_Gal/pseuds/Nerdy_Gal
Summary: The UNSC Questionable Ethics, a standard Charon-class light frigate, was in orbit around the bustling planet of Erandu V, an outer rim agricultural planet that had started to shift into manufacturing as the human-covenant war raged on. The Questionable Ethics was part of battlegroup Whiskey Alpha Tango, or as the naval crews called it, WAT; which was built up of an Epoch-class heavy carrier, a Saraha-class Prowler, four Paris-class heavy frigates, one Charon-class light frigate, and one Halcyon-class light cruiser. Erandu V was the fifth stop on its patrol, in part to make sure the world is safe, but mostly to resupply. Naval crews scurried about within the ship and the orbiting stations, checking off their lists. Meanwhile, marine squads made sure they were ready for deployment. However it had been quiet the past month in this sector, and everyone onboard the ships were in lifted spirits, hoping that the war is coming to a close somehow, or at least drifting away from their sector. But perhaps something may happen on the quiet planet of Erandu V...





	1. Alert

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first published work, and I'm still working on the story. Please feel free to leave any feedback on things you may like or things you notice need changing!

Ensign Latvia was sitting at her post, monitoring communications systems and keeping an eye out for insurgent activity. Despite the war going on, a few insurgent cells continued their efforts to fight against the UNSC, especially in the outer rim planets. As she goes through the planets communications looking for key phrases. Something hinting towards assaulting the UNSC or endangering lives. When a line opens over comms.  
“This is Loki-Actual coming in for approach, Questionable Ethics, requesting permission to land in primary hangar bay. Enroute with supplies, transmitting inventory now” said a staticky voice. Latvia scrolled through the list, making sure everything was in check before granting permission.  
“Copy that, Loki-Actual coming in for a landing.” crackled out the staticky voice as Latvia tapped out a few commands on her terminal, notifying the crewmen in the primary hangar bay to prepare for unloading. As the crewmen notified her they were unloading an alert popped up in the corner her screen. “1900.” Latvia stands up and stretches, vacating her spot for the next poor sod covering her shift. “If the covenant did one thing, at least they made things exciting” Latvia thought to herself as she left the bridge and started to head for the mess hall.  
\--------------------------------------------===============--------------------------------------------

Latvia made it through the lunch line, sliding her tray across the naval food service cart and picking out what seems edible. When she finally left the line she left with a pile of peas, some steak lathered in preservatives, canned fruit and some milk. With a heavy sigh Latvia dropped down at the table designated for Naval personnel, and begins to pick at her meal. “We were told that our meals were supposed to be better than what the marines get but if that's true, how in the hell do the marines still have taste buds?” Latvia thought to herself as they stared at the mess of preserved steak, canned fruit, and peas on her tray. As they began taking bites of her food, she noticed five muscular people in tank tops walking in out of the corner of her eye. Latvia looked over and saw that they were four women and a man, with the famous ODST symbol branded on their tank tops. “Eugh, helljumpers” Latvia silently thought to herself before going back to her food. Lucky for Latvia ODSTs had to respect naval officers; the marines however, were not as fortunate. As Latvia dug into her meal they heard commotion at one of the marine tables. 

She looked up, and saw the group of ODSTs pushing a group of marines around, berating them for some unknown reason. Latvia pushes her tray towards the middle of the table and stands up, and begins strutting over to the group. Latvia puts her arms behind her back clears her throat, bringing the privates and ODSTs attention to her. The tallest ODST yells out  
“Officer on deck!” prompting the others to stand to attention and form a line, and raise their hand up to salute.  
“At ease soldiers. Now, what is going on here exactly?” Latvia asks them.  
“Nothing ma’am! Just joking around with the marines ma’am!” Replied the tallest ODST. Latvia looked up and down at the poor privates, and saw how lost and worried they were; clearly not used to the brutish nature of ODSTs who are aching for a fight.  
“I see. ODSTs, name, rank, and MOS now!” Latvia snaps out, now facing the ODSTs. 

A tall muscular man with a scar over their eye steps forward and belts out his name and rank before stepping back into line.  
“Sergeant Taphir, rifleman!” A slightly shorter but well built woman with dark golden hair in a bun steps forward, and belts out her name and rank before stepping back into line as well.  
“Lance Corporal Erin, demolitions!” An even shorter, but quite muscular woman with brown hair in a bun as well steps forward.  
“Private First Class Terri! Heavy weapons ma’am!” She belts out before stepping back into place. A long few quiet seconds pass before Latvia glances at the next in line and clears her throat. The smaller and thinner ODST with short, dark purple hair hurriedly steps forward and belts out  
“Private First Class Lake ma’am! Pilot!” and darts back into line as soon as they finish. “Huh, a pilot made it into ODSTs?” Latvia thought to herself. Finally the last ODST steps forward. Her hair fiery red in a short ponytail, and her frame small yet slightly muscular.  
“Private First Class Redd, sniper!” she belts out in a thick irish accent before stepping back into line.  
”Alright! Sergeant, get these ODSTs out of here now. Make sure this does not happen again!” Latvia says to Taphir, turning to face them. “As for you marines, continue on with your meal.” Latvia snaps around and struts back to their table, and sees the five ODSTs leaving the mess hall out of the corner of her eye. With a slight smile she sits back down, pulling her tray back towards her and finishes off her meal. 

\--------------------------------------------===============--------------------------------------------

Latvia walked down a well lit hallway, her charcoal black standard issue boots clicked against the hard titanium walkway as she made her way to her bunks. As she walked down the hallway, Latvia saw crewmen bustling about, moving to accomplish their tasks. With a sigh Latvia rounds the corner and faces the checkpoint to the naval access hallway. She comes to a stop and presents her ID card to the MP guarding the checkpoint. The MP nodded and opened the small gate, allowing her through. Latvia strolls through the gate and hears it clang shut behind her. “God, it’s been so boring. Each day has been the same damn thing every day. Well, at least nobody has been dying lately” she thinks to herself as she approaches her bunks door. She slides her ID card through the scanners card slot and hears a small beep when the door hissed open. Latvia walks in and relaxes her shoulders, ready to get some rest. She plopped down into her bed the moment she changed into her jumpsuit and sighed deeply, tired after a day of managing communications, the scanners, and ordering pilots around. She turns around and faces the blank wall, finally shutting her eyes, and drifting into sleep.

The sound of laughter fills the air as Latvia looks around and sees the park she used to go to as a kid. With a gleeful laugh she skips towards the swings with her best friend Amethyst. As they begin swinging they start to laugh, blissfully unaware of the large black van that just parked outside the park. 

“Let’s go higher!” Latvia calls out to her friend, eager to go to new heights when suddenly a loud boom fills her ears when she’s thrown off the swing. She looks around, trying to find Amethyst. “Amethyst! Where are you!” Latvia cries out, her ears ringing and her vision blurry, and her skin feeling like its burning. She finally finds Amethyst and has to cover her mouth. A piece of shrapnel from the van had buried itself deep in Amethysts chest. Latvia crawls over and starts to shake her shoulder, “Wake up! Amethyst wake up! This isn’t a game!” she cries out, staring into the cold dead eyes of Amethyst. Latvia looks around and starts screaming for help when she starts hearing a beeping noise growing louder and louder. 

She looks around and sees soldiers swarming the area and firing their rifles. The green soldiers were shooting the soldiers in black armor with a red fist on their chest. The insurgent soldiers were shooting both UNSC soldiers and anyone else around. Latvia stared in horror, her body frozen in fear when she hears someone approaching. She looks up at them and sees one of the insurgent soldiers. She starts to crawl back when they kneel down and seemingly put their weapon away, only to bash her head with the butt of their gun. As the gun made contact with her forehead, she could hear a loud jarring beeping. With a start Latvia wakes up covered in sweat. “It’s fine. It was just a dream. It was years ago, and those innie bastards are dead now.” She thinks to herself, before looking over to her datapad and see why it’s beeping at her. “Inbound threat. All units action stations. Defcon 2” A message reads, the text box around it flashing red. Latvia quickly changes into her naval outfit and rushes out of bunks, practically sprinting to the bridge. 

On her way there the hallways are washed in a bright red, and she sees the ship the most active its been since the last battle against the covenant, if not more. She spots marine squads rushing towards the hangars in formation, with engineers rushing about and securing everything not bolted down. Finally Latvia reaches the bridge and immediately gets into her post, just in time as the captain begins to instruct the crew.  
“Be advised all units, we are at Defcon 2, all marine units are to deploy to Erandu V and begin evacuation efforts. ODSTs are to be on standby.” The captain orders over the P.A system. After turning it off, he looks to the naval crewmen in the bridge with him.  
“Alright, we have six inbound CSS cruisers and five corvettes, we are to engage them with all our might! We are the Questionable Ethics of battlegroup Whiskey Alpha Tango! And while we may question our ethics, we shall not question our lethality! Engage those damn ships as soon as you have a lock, Ensign Mark!” The captain belts out. Immediately a massive vibration shakes the ship as the MAC is fired, sending a 600 ton slug towards one of the cruisers at thirty kilometers a second. Latvia watches on from one of the monitors as the slug makes contact with the cruisers shields, and just causes a slight ripple.

After 30 minutes of the battlegroup firing all the weapons they could, only three corvettes were destroyed, with two of the CCS cruisers being damaged after their shields fell. As the six cruisers got closer and closer Latvia intensely listened to all comm frequencies, trying to see if whatever they were fighting was flanking them somehow. When suddenly a stream of what looked like little bugs swarmed out of the cruisers.  
“Inbound ships, captain!” Yells out one of the crewmen.  
“All PDCs, engage those bastards as soon as they get close! Latvia, get the longsword deployed!” The captain barks out. As Latvia issues the order for the longsword pilot to deploy, the swarm of tiny ships quickly closes in on the battlegroup. Suddenly the space between the battlegroup and the swarm of ships is filled with tracers as an Epoch-class heavy carrier, four Paris-class frigates, a Charon-class frigate, and a Halcyon-class light cruiser opened fire with their PDC weapons. The small ships failed to react in time, and many turned into bright blue and purple explosions. As Latvia monitored communications, she was glad to hear that no pilots were screaming out. It looked like the hostile crafts weren’t engaging for some reason. Suddenly the swarm of covenant ships split, each group heading straight for each of the ships. 

The ship shakes once again as the MAC is fired at the one of the cruisers, which have all gotten close enough they could easily fire upon the UNSC ships, but for some reason they weren’t… “The hell are they planning? They haven’t fired a single shot” Latvia thought to herself when a flight leader called out over comms!  
“This is High-Roller-1 reporting in! One of the damn covie ships crashed into my wing! Th-there’s something crawling out of it!”  
“This is Questionable Ethics responding, what do you mean something crawling out of it?” Latvia responds, confused as to what the hell is going on with the pilot.  
“I mean something crawled out of i- Oh jesus fuck what is that! WHAT IS THA-” screamed out the pilot before the sound of breaking glass was heard, and oxygen rushed out of their cabin. All while a horrid howl filled comms, with the transmission suddenly ending in static.  
“High-Roller-1 report! I repeat, report in High-Roller-1!” Latvia called out, hoping that somehow it was just a comms issue. Covenant jamming them or something. Halfway through her thought, she started picking up more and more reports of the same fate when suddenly one of the crewmen yells out.  
“Be advised! Multiple tangoes got past our line of fire and are swarming the hull! Hull breaches on decks 1, 4, 5, and the hangar!” Latvia switches from pilot communications to communications onboard the Questionable Ethics, and hears utter hell…


	2. Different Paths

“Alright gals, you heard the captain! Load up and get ready!” Yelled out Sergeant Taphir in a gruff voice to his squad. With a slight groan Lake stood and walked to her locker to don her bodysuit and ODST gear, her chestplate. She strutted over to the weapons locker with her helmet in hand, and grabbed her standard gear while everyone else did the same.   
“So lad, y’think we gonna be ta drop this time?” Redd asked Lake with a tinge of excitement in her voice. 

“Maybe, depends on what we’re fighting. Probably not though what with the marines running evacuation efforts. Then again, knowing them they’ll probably fuck up and we’ll need to save ‘em again” Lake says with a slight chuckle. Holstering her weapons she takes a seat on a crate, and putting her helmet down next to them.   
“Pfff yeah, those blasted crayon eaters don’t know th' difference ‘tween a rock an' a stick after all. Probably gonna screw up guidin' civies onto ships somehow.” Redd says, chuckling a bit as they plop down next to Lake and nudges her side with her elbow.   
“Heh, you’re not wrong there” Lake replied before calling out to Taphir. “So sarge, any clue what's going on?” she asks.  
“Honestly, I have no fucking clue. All I know is we’re supposed to be on standby, I don’t know if we’re gonna defend the ship, deploy, or do sit around with our thumbs up our asses. Personally hoping for some damn combat, been too quiet for ages.” Taphir replies gruffly before putting his helmet with a shark like decal on its visor on.   
“Hey Terri, what do you thinks gonna happen?” Lake says, turning to Terri.   
“Honestly, wishing this whole thing wasn’t happening. I’d prefer to be in the gym rather than have to nearly die. But if anythings to happen, I’m hoping it’s some damn combat.” Terri says before shoving a magazine into her M122 LMG.   
“Hey Erin, what d-” Lake began to ask, before the final member of their fireteam cut her off.   
“Can it, Lake. I already know what you’re going to say, and yes I’m hoping for some damn combat, just like everyone else.” Erin says before grabbing her M41 rocket launcher from the gun rack. With a sigh Lake gets up and grabs her M/7 SMG from the gun rack, and sticks a clip in. 

Suddenly, the ODST armory was washed in a bright red light, and the battle alert klaxon was heard throughout the ship. “Alright Bravo-6, looks like it's time for a fight! Lock n’ load and lets move out to battlestations!” Taphir yelled out to the rest of the squad. As soon as Taphir finished speaking, everyone began rushing out the door and down the hallway.   
“So Redd, you think you’re gonna be able to hit anything close with that sniper?” Lake yells out to Redd in a joking manner as the squads rushed footsteps echoed down the metallic hallway.  
“Hah! Ye doubtin me aim? I can do more damage up close than ya evah could with yer lil peashooter! And if I ‘ave to, I can bash some bastards in the ‘ead with it!” she said with pride in her voice. As the squad made their way to their battlestation they saw naval engineers running about, busy setting up defenses and bolting everything down. Finally they reached their destination and saw that the engineers made sure to set up battlestations first. As soon as they set up, a voice was heard over the shipwide PA system.  
“Hull breaches on decks 1, 4, 5, and the hangar!” called out an agitated voice over the PA system. 

“Alright everyone, keep your eyes peeled” yelled out Taphir. As Bravo-6 watched down the long hallway they were posted at, Lake looked around. Redd was set up with her sniper on a sandbag, already aiming down the sights. Terri had holstered her LMG and had manned the M247 machine gun turret set up by engineers. Erin had her SMG aimed down the hallway with her launcher on her back. And Taphir stared down the hallway, aiming down his MA5C assault rifle. Suddenly a dull boom was heard. The lights overhead flickered as the ship shook, this was different from a MAC shot. Lake could tell. Taphir suddenly put his fingers up to his helmet and began speaking, just barely not able to be heard.   
“Alright Bravo-6, we got some ugly bastards coming our way! Brace for a fight!” yelled out Taphir. 

As he was speaking, howls and screams echoed from the end of the hallway. Lake drew her attention back after Taphir finished speaking, and they waited for whatever was howling and screaming to reveal itself. As she focused, she heard footsteps rushing down the hallway, something was about to come around the corner. Thump thump thump. As Lake leveled her SMG ready to open fire, engineers rounded the corner running in a panic, the lights behind them quickly flickering.   
“Oh thank fuck! ODSTs! We’re saved!” the engineers screamed out when a swarm of small fleshy bags with tentacles rushed around the corner. They quickly caught up with the engineers as they scrambled along the floor like some terrifying squid, and the ones in the front soon pounced as one upon the poor souls. Lake stared on in horror as a few shoved themselves in the engineers mouths. Suddenly the engineers began to spasm and convulse. Their bodies had began turning into something else.   
An arm turned into a fleshy claw as their heads was shoved to the side to make room for the strange terrifying monster. With a ghastly howl, the former engineers stood up.   
“Bravo-6 open fire on them!” yelled out Taphir, fear evident in his voice. As one, Bravo-6 filled the hallway with bullets, shredding apart the fleshy bags and the former engineers.   
“Sarge, what the bloody ‘ell are those!!” screamed out Redd.   
“Don’t ask me, I have no fucking clue! Just keep firing!” yelled back Taphir. Lake ran out of ammo, and went to reload when she noticed that the stream of fleshy bags just didn’t stop coming. Suddenly, a pair of honor guard elites showed up around the corner. The elites were different, almost as if they were mutated. Their bodies twitched as they shambled towards Bravo-6.   
“Erin, use your launcher on those bastards!” belted out Taphir. With a nod, Erin grabbed the launcher off her back and aimed down the hallway.   
“Firing!” she yelled out, as a rocket flew out of the launcher and slammed into the ground between the two elites. A ball of fire enveloped the space, melting away the small fleshy creatures surrounding the feet of the two elite honor guards. When the flash of light disappeared, the two elites were laying on the ground, their shields flickering. 

They slowly rose up and with a bone-chilling howl, began charging towards Bravo-6, their limbs twitching as they moved and were howling as they charged.   
“Bravo-6 focus fire on the closest bastard!” screamed out Taphir. A stream of bullets slammed into the elites, but they bounced off harmlessly.   
“Come an’ get sum ya mutant ‘ingehead bastads!” Redd yelled out as she fires her sniper, the retort of the rifle filling the hallway. One of the elites stumbles back and collapsed to the hard metal floor as the round slammed into them. With an angry howl, the injured elite stands back up and begins charging towards them once more.   
“Bravo-6, fall back! Their shields are too damn tough!” Taphir yells out

As Bravo-6 ran through the hallways of the Questionable Ethics, Lake could hear Taphir speaking into his comms unit.   
“This is Bravo-6 we’ve encountered some, I don’t fuckin know, some weird ass covenant! Requesting further orders! We’re currently falling back from battlestation!” Adrenaline and fear pumped through Lakes veins as she ran down the hallway. Her mind kept flashing back to the former engineers, and the pained expressions on their lifeless faces.   
“What the fuck are these things!” yelled out Terri.   
“I have no fucking clue but my guess? Don’t let em touch you!” yelled back Erin. While they ran to the nearest battlestation, Lake looked behind her and saw the two honor guard elites chasing after them still; their bodies twitching as they ran.   
“Sarge! I think they’re catching up!” shouted out Lake.   
“Copy that! Terri, leave a few presents behind for the big red bastards!” said Taphir.   
“You got it sarge! Enjoy the presents you weird ass hingeheads!” she yelled out as she took the pins off a few grenades and rolled them behind herself.   
“Lets pick up the pace! Hallways and frag grenades don’t go well together!” shouted out Terri. The squad began sprinting even harder, not wanting to be caught by any fragmentation from the grenade. “Alright everyone, time to hit the deck!” yelled out Teri. A loud boom fills the squads ears just after they fall to the ground, with an unnatural scream accompanying it. Shards of metal whiz past everyone, with some embedding themselves in the floor around them.

Lake turns her head and looks behind them, hoping that the honor guard elites were killed in the explosion. Instead she sees two mangled honor guard elites, crawling towards the squad. Their legs are a shredded mess, with various holes through their chests. Half the skin was missing from one of the faces of the elites.   
“S-sarge! They aren’t fucking dead yet! What kinda covenant species is this!” screamed out Lake.  
“Jesus christ! A-alright! Their shields are down! Fill the damn bastards with some lead!” yelled out Taphir, his voice slightly shaking as he spoke. Lake quickly stood back up and grabbed her SMG, proceeding to spray the elites with a stream of bullets, with each bullet spraying pasty, brownish-green blood everywhere as they made contact with the elites bodies. The elites kept crawling towards Bravo-6 as their bodies were torn apart by the stream of bullets. Their howls filled the hallway until finally their bodies were too shredded to keep going on. 

“Well then, guess the big bastards didn’t want ta die eh?” Redd said as she sauntered over to one of the fallen elites. “Damn, these blokes look a tad different than ta usual elites don-” she said when suddenly the arm of one of the elites reaches out and grabs Redds leg. “What the bloody ‘ell!” she screams out as she quickly jumps back! With astonishing speed she aimed her sniper, and fired a shot straight into the elites torso; leaving a large gaping hole in place of a chest. “Oh jesus, these things are hard to kill. At least the things that look like elites are. Those weird little crawly bastards pop easily. And whatever those engineers turned into was easy to take out too. The fuck are we dealing with?” Lake says, her voice slightly shaking.  
“Fuck, I have no idea. Lets fall back to the near-” Taphir said when suddenly he put his fingers up to the side of his helmet. “Scratch that! Bravo-6, we’re moving to the bridge to escort naval to the escape pods. Defcon 1! Move out!”  
Bravo-6 rushed through the hallways of the ship, as they fired at the hordes of terrifying monsters as they made their way towards the bridge.   
“Jesus sarge! Theres too many of the damn things!” Lake yelled out as she fired at a turned engineer, a stream of bullets flying out of the barrel of her SMG and slamming into its chest. The former engineer was thrown onto the floor as its flesh was ripped apart, spraying brownish-green liquid everywhere.  
“Keep your head cool Lake! These bastards seem to be dumb as brick at least, and we got more than enough ammo to deal with them!” yelled out Taphir. “And, we’re almost to the bridge.” he added. The squad rounded a corner and finally they made it to their location, skidding to a stop in front of the door. With a nod, Taphir entered the bridge as the rest of the team took up defensive positions around the door.   
“Alright! ODST squad Bravo-6 has arrived! Ensign Latvia, Chief Petty Officer Dom, Petty Officer Second Class Zen. You’ll be going with them to the lifepods!” Captain James yelled out from their command post. His voice audible from outside the room.  
“Alright gals, you heard the captain! VIP box around them! Protect them at all costs!” belted out Taphir. Bravo-6 took positions around the three crewmen as they exited the bridge, and began escorting them down through the hallways of the ship; that were now filled with the echoes of screams and gunfire. As they walked through an intersection, making sure to scan every possible vector Terri suddenly spoke up.  
“Jesus. The fuck are these things? I’m not even sure if they’re covena-” she said when a vent hatch burst open. Lake was just barely startled by the noise and trained her gun on the hatch when a horde of the squid-like monsters rushed out.

“Ah bloody ‘ell! We got more of them bastards!” Lake heard Redd scream out. Lake quickly spun to face the horde of monsters, and started to unload her clip into the closest creatures.  
“Alright keep your cool! Engage the little freaks!” Taphir barked out. As the sound of gunfire filled the hallway, the naval crewmen ducked to the ground with their hands over their ears.   
Lake was reloading her SMG when she heard Redd yell out  
“Oi Erin, how about ya be useful n’ pop a ‘nade in that vent!” Lake heard Erin bark back in an agitated voice  
“Gee really? Thanks for the idea Redd, I totally didn’t think of that! It’d be a great idea if I had any damn nades!”   
“Bloody hell! Of course ya don’t have any more!” yelled out Redd. With a sigh she pulled the pin off of one of her own grenades and tossed it into the vent. A muffled bang was heard as fire blew out the vent, with the creatures melting away from the heat. “Y’see, I wanted ta save this for a later-” Redd says in a joking manner and she helps lift one of the crewman back up when suddenly the vent above them bursts open.  
“Crap! Protect the crewmen!” barked out Taphir as another horde of the nightmarish monsters rained down on Bravo-6 and the naval personnel they were escorting. Lake blindly fired into the waterfall of creatures but for each one she killed, five more would take their place. She distantly heard Taphir bellowing out something. She instinctively started to walk backwards towards him, when she saw Redd picking up one of the crewmen.  
“Redd! Get over here!” Lake screamed out. “Forget the damn crewmen” she thought to herself. But there wasn’t enough time, the horde of creatures began filling the empty space like some terrifying living blob of water. She saw Redd and the crewman fall back into the hallway behind them, their gunshots getting quieter and quieter...


	3. Regret

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gonna be updating the chapter name. And possibly this chapter eventually

“Latvia, right? Stay the fuck with me, ma’am, unless you want those bastards touching you!” Redd said as she lifted her up by the arm. With a nod, Latvia followed Redd as she backed down a hallway. The echo of the magnum filled the hall along with the rest of the squad firing at the creatures. Redd put her fingers up to her helmet and turned on the comms. “Sarge, looks like I’m split off! Currently with Latvia going down the north hallway. Fuck! These bastards don’t stop coming!” She said in an agitated voice. Suddenly, she started hearing her magnum click. “Son of a bitch!” she yelled out as she realized the magazine ran out. With a growl she goes to change the magazine when one of the nightmarish creatures suddenly leaps towards her head. She quickly dodges in a panic, but realizes her mistake far too late. The creature latched onto Latvias face. Redds fingers began to shake as she tried to get the magazine into the magnum. “Fuck fuck fuck fuck! Load goddammit!” she muttered out, with panic in her voice. Latvia began screaming as the creature began doing, something to her. Suddenly her screaming stopped right as Redd managed to get her magnum loaded. Redd quickly spun and dealt with the oncoming creatures, the retort of her magnum filling the hallway. 

“Sarge! Latvia's down! These bastards won't stop coming! What are current orders!” Redd screamed out over comms. She went to grab Latvia when her body suddenly began to spasm and convulse violently. “Ah shite! Don’t tell me you’re turnin into whatever the ‘ell that engineer turned into!” she screamed out as she jumped back. Suddenly Latvia’s body began to mutate. Her head was shoved to the side as something broke out her chest, and rested in the hole like some sick cockpit. An arm began turning into a sickening claw made of flesh and bone. The creature once known as Latvia slowly rose up and howled.  
“This is Taphir, Redd, fall back to pod bay! Gunnery Sergeant Dave is holding with Charlie-6 there!” she heard Taphir yell out over her comms in a staticky voice.  
“F-fuck! Enroute now sarge!” Redd screamed out over comms, terror in her voice. She kicked at one of the small monsters that was next to her foot, sending it hurtling into a wall when she began to run. As she sprinted down the hallway she heard screams and howls behind her. Redd turned her head and saw what was once Latvia chasing after her. Latvia’s now-lifeless head bobbed like a chickens head only held on by a few strands of flesh as the creature ran. The jaw wildly opened and closed as if screaming, the teeth gnashing together was just barely audible over the howls. “Oh shite! Oh bloody hell I’m not goin out like this! Not to some weird fookin zombie thing!” Redd screamed out as she fired wildly down the hallway, missing most of her shots. A few hit their target, but the nightmarish version of Latvia didn’t even react to them. Redd started to sprint even harder, terrified by the creature. 

As the howls and shrieks followed close behind her, the retort of her magnum managed to rise above the noise when she heard a noise that made her heart drop into her stomach. Click. “Ah shite!” Redd screamed out as she began patting herself down, frantically looking for one last magazine. With dread she realized she ran out. A thought rushed through her head, and she quickly turned around and threw the magnum as hard as she could at the creature. It soared through the air when it slammed into the monster with a sickening fleshy thunk. But it didn’t stop moving, didn’t even react. With fear in her eyes Redd turned back around and sprinted harder than she ever had in her life. Sweat dripped down her forehead. 

Finally she saw an array of sandbags with a squad of fellow ODSTs manning them. “Oh thank fuck! Oi you all! Cover me!” she screamed out at them. The squad leader yelled out something as she dived over the sandbags. Suddenly the roar of gunfire filled the hallway for a few seconds. Redd pushed herself back up and looked back at the hallway and saw the creatures corpse. It was filled with bullet holes, chunks of it had flown off and spread themselves around the hallway. Then Redd noticed the other bodies. Dead ODSTs and creatures strewn amongst the hallway. The hallway stained with pasty, brownish-green color.  
“Alright, welcome to the party! Redd right? Resupply at the gun racks over there and post up on the sandbags. We’re holding here until the rest of your squad gets here.” said one of the ODSTs, who Redd assumes to be Dave.   
“Aye, ya got it sarge.” She says as she begins speed walking towards the gun racks.  
“Ah thanks, but I’m not a sergeant. I’m Corporal Max, Dave died just before you got here. Bastards turned him into whatever the hell is attacking us.” he said as she walked away. Redd stops for a moment and nods, taking in everything. The alarms going off across the ship, the echo of the screams and howls. The losses they’re facing. “Just what the bloody hell are these things? It’s like they’re from some sick nightmare” she thinks to herself. She recomposed herself and starts to head for the gun rack again. She grabs a new magnum and just for safety an SMG. Redd made her way back to the sandbags and takes up a position next to a heavily armored ODST with a shotgun. Redd takes a deep breath and sighs when she hears the ODST next to her speak.  
“Nervous eh? Can’t blame you, ‘specially with one of those things chasing you. I don’t know what the fuck these are but jesus, they’re ruthless. Met up with Delta a while ago and- Fuck whatever these things did to them was terrifying. I’m not even sure this is Covenant. Usually the Covenant has a reason for something, but these bastards? They just kill.” Redd nodded her head, her hands were still slightly shaking from the adrenaline pumped into her veins.   
“Aye, these things. They’re fookin terrifyin, my squad was ‘spose to defend some naval personnel. But we got split up at an intersection when those monsters attacked. I ran down with one of the naval crewman, Latvia, but. I-I fucked up. One of them leaped at my head and I ducked. The bastard latched onto her face, and I just. It’s my fault. I got a bloody ensign killed and just…” She said before the ODST abruptly cut her off.  
“Hey listen, it was an honest mistake. And in this type of situation? I think we’d rather have an ODST than some stuffy naval person. I saw what happened to Delta and, if you didn’t duck. Well you and Latvia would have died.” said the ODST. “By the way, names Kat. Whats yours?”  
“Nice t’meet ya Kat, me names Redd. Hopefully we’ll all be able ta make it outta this mess.” She said before she rolled her shoulders. With a deep breath, she sighed and aimed down the hallway.

Swarms of the creatures kept coming in hordes towards the fortified position, just barely being held off. Redd was reloading her SMG when she hears the captains voice over the PA system.   
“Attention all units. We’re going to be scuttling the Questionable Ethics! All hands abandon ship, transmitting rally points to squad leaders!”  
“Ah shite, so what are we gonna do corporal! Hold here for any other ODSTs or get the fuck outta here?” Redd yelled out to Max while she fires her SMG down the hallway, popping several of the nightmarish creatures.  
“Well, considering I’m not an official squad lead. We’ll wait here for a squad lead to get here! Because as much as I want to believe in us, I’d rather have official coordinates rather than just guesswork.” Max yelled back, when halfway through Redd heard Taphirs voice over comms.   
“Redd, we’re enroute to the podbay now! ETA five mikes!”   
“Aye! Copy that sarge. Quick lil’ update, Dave is dead. Luckily we got a few other ODSTs waitin’ ‘ere.” Redd says, some of her anxiety lifting after hearing her squad leads voice. “A’ight lads! Rest of me team is enroute! Just gotta hold out for five mikes!” The ODSTs in the podbay yelled out an “ooh-rah!” as they gained a new feeling of hope. Hope that they can all make it out of there alive. 

Redd sighed during a brief moment of peace. They had just killed a wave of the monsters and waited for the next wave. “Bloody ‘ell these things, they just- they won’t stop comin.” Redd said out loud as she aimed her SMG down the hallway.   
“Tell me about it, we’re lucky that we just restocked the ship or else we’d be out of ammo by now. Hopefully your squad ge-” Kat said when they suddenly stopped talking. “Wait, you hear that?” they said. Redd focused and listened down the hallways, at first hearing nothing when she starts to hear something. She feels the metal underneath her vibrate more and more as something gets closer and closer.  
“Wha- what the bloody ‘ell is that?” she yelled out, a hint of fear in her voice.  
“Fuck, I have no clue. All I know is, I don’t like it. Alright ODSTs! Brace for combat, looks like we might be getting a tough bastard our way!” yelled out Max. Redd decided to holster her SMG and pulls out her sniper. With a deep breath Redd squares her shoulders and aims down the hallway, resting the butt of the rifle against her shoulder and the bipod on the sandbags. The vibrations began to get more and more violent when a deep monstrous roar was heard, sending a shiver down all the ODSTs spines. The lights at the end of the hallway began to flicker and shake.   
“Ah shite, what the bloody hell is it!” Redd thinks to herself, as her fingers begin to shake.

A massive beast like a twisted, rotten fleshy nightmare version of a gorilla rounded a corner at the end of the hallway and faced the ODSTs. One of its arms was twisted into a terrifying jagged spike. The head was similar to a massive ants head, with three tentacles ending in red barbs where its mouth should be.   
“Oh jesus fuck! All ODSTs open fire! Take that bastard down!” screamed out Max. Tracers filled the hallway as they whizzed down to slam into the nightmarish beast. As the bullets sunk into its flesh, the creature roared and reared up.   
“The bloody ‘ell is that!” Redd screamed out as the beast slammed back down, its claw impaling a corpse. The beast began to charge at the ODSTs on three of its limbs, holding its spike out as if ready to throw the corpse. Suddenly the claw swung forward, launching the corpse towards the ODSTs. Redd quickly changed her target and focused on the corpse as it soared towards them. She squeezed the trigger and felt the butt of the rifle slammed into her shoulder. The round flew towards the corpse and slammed into its chest. The corpses chest blew apart, spraying brownish-green blood everywhere as the body jolted back a few feet in the air before crumpling onto the floor. The terrifying beast roared out in anger, as if upset that its attack was thwarted.   
“Everyone, focus fire on that thing!” screamed out Max, his voice shaking as he screamed out an order everyone was already following; desperately trying to maintain some form of control. Suddenly the beast stopped in its tracks and slammed its limbs into the ground before it started to look like it was trying to throw up.  
“The ‘ell is it doin corporal!” Redd screamed out as she fired round after round into it.  
“Don’t ask me! I know about as much as you fucking do!” he responded with frustration and fear in his voice. As soon as Max finished speaking the beast started to vomit out a horde of the small squid like creatures.   
“Ah what the bloody hell! That’s nasty!” Redd yelled out when suddenly she heard a voice over comms.  
“Looks like you could use a little help, Redd” Taphir said, a hint of pride in his voice.


End file.
